Watering Newly Planted Trees and Hedges

Watering is the most important part of looking after newly planted trees and hedging. Rainfall alone is not always sufficient, particularly during spring, summer or prolonged periods of dry and windy weather.

Newly planted trees and hedges should be watered slowly and thoroughly so that moisture reaches the full depth of the rootball. Frequent light watering may only dampen the surface and encourage shallow root development.

When Should You Water?

Early morning is normally the best time to water. Late afternoon or early evening is the next-best option, although soaking the foliage immediately before nightfall should be avoided where possible.

Watering requirements will vary according to:

• The size of the plant or rootball

• The time of year

• Recent rainfall

• Temperature and wind

• Soil type and drainage

• Whether the planting position is sunny or shaded

• Competition from surrounding trees and plants

Do not rely on a fixed calendar alone. Conditions can change quickly, even in North West England.

Check the Soil Before Watering

Check the soil below the surface rather than judging it by appearance. The surface may look damp while the soil surrounding the rootball remains dry.

Carefully investigate the soil beside the rootball with a trowel or long screwdriver. If it is dry below the surface, water thoroughly. If it is already wet or waterlogged, allow it to drain before adding more water.

Wilting and yellowing leaves can be caused by either insufficient water or waterlogged soil, so checking the soil is essential.

How to Water Newly Planted Trees

Apply water slowly around the root area rather than against the trunk. The objective is to wet the complete rootball and the immediately surrounding soil without allowing the water to run away across the surface.

A hose running at a slow rate, a watering bag or a suitable irrigation system can help the water penetrate gradually.

Pay particular attention during:

• The first few weeks after planting

• The first spring and summer

• Warm, dry or windy weather

• Periods when trees are producing new leaves

• Dry spells during the second growing season

Even trees planted during autumn or winter may require watering if conditions become dry.

Check tree stakes, ties and supports regularly. Ties should support the tree without cutting into the bark. Loose, damaged or overly tight ties should be adjusted promptly.

Explore our range of specimen trees, available with professional planting across North West England.

}How to Water Newly Planted Hedging

A newly planted hedge needs consistent moisture along its full length. Missing a section can result in individual plants failing while the rest of the hedge establishes successfully.

A hose used at a slow flow can work for shorter hedges. For longer hedges, a correctly installed seep hose or drip-irrigation system can provide more consistent watering directly around the roots.

Water the soil around the base of each plant rather than simply spraying the leaves. Continue checking the soil along different parts of the hedge because sunny, windy or sloping sections may dry out faster.

Browse our range of hedging plants or consider adding hedging irrigation to make regular watering easier.

Feeding Newly Planted Trees and Hedging

Newly planted trees and hedges do not normally require heavy feeding immediately after planting. Excessive fertiliser can encourage soft top growth before the root system is ready to support it.

Where feeding is appropriate, use a suitable general-purpose fertiliser during the growing season and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Avoid allowing concentrated fertiliser to touch stems, trunks or exposed roots.

If growth is poor, check watering, drainage, soil condition and planting depth before assuming that fertiliser is required.

Keep the Root Area Free From Weeds

Grass and weeds compete with newly planted trees and hedging for water and nutrients. Maintain a clear strip around a new hedge and a weed-free circle around each tree.

Remove weeds carefully by hand or with shallow cultivation. Avoid digging deeply around the plants because this can damage developing roots.

Do not allow lawn grass to grow right up to a newly planted tree trunk. A maintained mulch circle is generally easier to manage and reduces competition.

Apply and Maintain Mulch

A suitable organic mulch helps conserve soil moisture, suppress weeds and moderate changes in soil temperature.

Apply mulch over moist, weed-free soil, but leave a clear space around tree trunks and the stems of hedging plants. Mulch piled directly against bark can retain excessive moisture and encourage decay.

Check the mulch periodically and top it up when required. Our bark mulch for hedging can be supplied alongside a new hedge.

Problems with hedge and hedge and tree establishment

Not enough water

If a younger tree is not getting enough water it will not develop properly. If you think the tree is not getting enough water, dig into the ground with a large screw driver to see if the soil below is damp. If it’s dry then water is not penetrating to the full root ball.

Too much water

Too much water is just as bad as not enough water for a tree. The symptoms can look very similar to under watering too which does not help.

Some of the tress may become yellow on lower branches or near to the trunk. Green leaves can become brittle.

Tree stress

Trees can get stressed when they are transported and planted so keep your eye on them on the weeks and months afterwards as the symptoms often develop slowly.

Keep your eyes open for:  

• Appearance of abnormally small leaves.

• Leaves are discoursed with pale green.

• Unusually slow growth.

• Development of autumn leaf colour before autumn.

• Twig and branch die back.

• Leaves that are wilting.

• New growth that is very tender.

• Bark that peels.

• Fungi starting to grow from the bark and stems.

Most trees are quite capable of withstanding a certain amount of attack by insects. The issue comes when insect populations become very high. These are generally only noticed once the insects have moved on so it’s important you keep your eyes on your trees, especially during spring and early summer. Check bark, stems and leaves for anything that is abnormal about the tree.

Treat any infections as you find them, ideally with none chemical solutions.

Pests

Pruning

Hold off any pruning for at least a year. Trimming branches mid-season can limit any growth potential for the following growing season.

Fertiliser

Top-dress annually with a general-purpose fertiliser, such as Growmore at 70g per sq m (2oz per sq yd), and re-apply mulch as required. Always check the label before you do so.